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C. Nelson Harris - Mayor of City of Roanoke
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Name: In Office: Address:
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C. Nelson Harris July 2004 - Present 215 Church Ave., SW 540-853-2224 |
Mayor Nelson Harris has been a climate visionary in Southwest Virginia. The city of Roanoke was the first local government in the area to begin the shift to biodiesel in its fleet of vehicles. And that's just one initiative taking root in a town dedicated to climate action. As a member of ICLEI, he'll be completing a greenhouse gas emissions inventory, formulating an action plan for mitigation, and implementing cross-industry measures.
And Mayor Harris is advancing climate solutions in ways that make business sense. In July 2007, a reduced real estate tax rate went into effect for energy-efficient buildings, while his Solar Energy Ordinance has encourage growth in the city's use of solar technology.
Snapshot of Cool Achievements
- 2007: Effective July 1, the City of Roanoke offers a reduced real estate tax rate for energy-efficient buildings.
- 2006: Begins purchasing bio-diesel fuel for its fleet of vehicles and school buses, making it the first local government in Southwest Virginia to move forward with the purchase.
- 2005: Adopts Solar Energy Ordinance, which makes certified solar equipment, facilities and devices a separate class of property and grants exemption from taxation on such solar products.
A Cool Quote
“Protecting the environment is one of the most important issues in Southwest Virginia and in America today. Realizing behaviors have an impact not only on their own citizens but on neighboring communities, Roanoke has implemented environmental initiatives that work in concert with its participation in ICLEI’s Cities for Climate Protection Campaign to reduce our carbon footprint. City leaders are committed to creating a sustainable environment for our community. Our hope is that these efforts will inspire other local governments to consider similar initiatives, and move toward becoming green communities.”
